# `alignas` specifier (since C++11)

From cppreference.com
< cpp‎ | language

Specifies the alignment requirement of a type or an object.

### Syntax

`alignas(` expression `)` |  |
`alignas(` type-id `)` |  |
`alignas(` pack `...` `)` |  |

1) expression must be an integral constant expression that evaluates to zero, or to a valid value for an alignment or extended alignment.
2) Equivalent to alignas(alignof( `type-id` )).
3) Equivalent to multiple alignas specifiers applied to the same declaration, one for each member of the parameter pack, which can be either type or non-type parameter pack.

### Explanation

The alignas specifier may be applied to:

- the declaration or definition of a class;
- the declaration of a non-bitfield class data member;
- the declaration of a variable, except that it cannot be applied to the following:
  - a function parameter;
  - the exception parameter of a catch clause.

The object or the type declared by such a declaration will have its alignment requirement equal to the strictest (largest) non-zero expression of all `alignas` specifiers used in the declaration, unless it would weaken the natural alignment of the type.

If the strictest (largest) `alignas` on a declaration is weaker than the alignment it would have without any `alignas` specifiers (that is, weaker than its natural alignment or weaker than `alignas` on another declaration of the same object or type), the program is ill-formed:

    struct alignas(8) S {};
    struct alignas(1) U { S s; }; // error: alignment of U would have been 8 without alignas(1)

Invalid non-zero alignments, such as alignas(3) are ill-formed.

Valid non-zero alignments that are weaker than another alignas on the same declaration are ignored.

alignas(0) is always ignored.

### Notes

As of the ISO C11 standard, the C language has the _Alignas keyword and defines alignas as a preprocessor macro expanding to the keyword in the header `<stdalign.h>`.

In C++, this is a keyword, and

the headers `<stdalign.h>` and `<cstdalign>` do not define such macro. They do, however, define the macro constant __alignas_is_defined. | (until C++20)
the header `<stdalign.h>` does not define such macro. It does, however, define the macro constant __alignas_is_defined. | (since C++20)

### Keywords

`alignas`

### Example

Run this code

    #include <iostream>

    // Every object of type struct_float will be aligned
    // to alignof(float) boundary (usually 4):
    struct alignas(float) struct_float
    {
        // your definition here
    };

    // Every object of type sse_t will be aligned to 32-byte boundary:
    struct alignas(32) sse_t
    {
        float sse_data[4];
    };

    int main()
    {
        struct default_aligned
        {
            float data[4];
        } a, b, c;
        sse_t x, y, z;

        std::cout
            << "alignof(struct_float) = " << alignof(struct_float) << '\n'
            << "sizeof(sse_t) = " << sizeof(sse_t) << '\n'
            << "alignof(sse_t) = " << alignof(sse_t) << '\n'
            << std::hex << std::showbase
            << "&a: " << &a << "\n"
               "&b: " << &b << "\n"
               "&c: " << &c << "\n"
               "&x: " << &x << "\n"
               "&y: " << &y << "\n"
               "&z: " << &z << '\n';
    }

Possible output:

    alignof(struct_float) = 4
    sizeof(sse_t) = 32
    alignof(sse_t) = 32
    &a: 0x7fffcec89930
    &b: 0x7fffcec89940
    &c: 0x7fffcec89950
    &x: 0x7fffcec89960
    &y: 0x7fffcec89980
    &z: 0x7fffcec899a0

### Defect reports

The following behavior-changing defect reports were applied retroactively to previously published C++ standards.

DR | Applied to | Behavior as published | Correct behavior
--- | --- | --- | ---
CWG 1437 | C++11 | alignas could be used in alias declarations | prohibited
CWG 2354 | C++11 | alignas could be applied to the declaration of an enumeration | prohibited

### References

- C++23 standard (ISO/IEC 14882:2024):

  - 9.12.4 Carries dependency attribute [dcl.attr.depend]

- C++20 standard (ISO/IEC 14882:2020):

  - 9.12.3 Carries dependency attribute [dcl.attr.depend]

- C++17 standard (ISO/IEC 14882:2017):

  - 10.6.3 Carries dependency attribute [dcl.attr.depend]

- C++14 standard (ISO/IEC 14882:2014):

  - 7.6.4 Carries dependency attribute [dcl.attr.depend]

- C++11 standard (ISO/IEC 14882:2011):

  - 7.6.4 Carries dependency attribute [dcl.attr.depend]

### See also

`alignof` (C++11) | queries alignment requirements of a type (operator)
alignment_of (C++11) | obtains the type's alignment requirements (class template)
C documentation for _Alignas, alignas

Retrieved from "https://en.cppreference.com/mwiki/index.php?title=cpp/language/alignas&oldid=175531"